Cytokine, Chemokine and Immune Activation Pathway Profiles in Celiac Disease: An Immune System Activity Screening by Expression Macroarrays

The aims of the study were to assess the usefulness of expression macroarrays to determine the pattern of expression of cytokines, chemokines and molecules related to immune system activation pathways, in non-stimulated intact intestinal tissue specimens from patients with active CD (aCD) and on a gluten-free diet (GFD), to compare it with two groups of controls with either normal or altered mucosal architecture, and to establish putative targets for diagnostic markers or therapeutic intervention. We have experienced the lack of sensitivity to detect signal of genes with low level of expression. In spite of that, active CD seems to show a Th1 cytokine pattern, but with signs of Th2 activity. Cytokines such as IL-9, IL-11, IL-21 or MIF might be involved in mucosal inflammation in CD. In GFD, some memory cells and DC’s activity remains, and factors that maintain this remnant activation might be responsible of the fast mucosal response on gluten challenge. STAT3 and STAT5 pathways, and their regulatory molecules SOCS’s may result keys for understanding mucosal inflammation in gut and putative targets for further research.